Insights into the therapeutic strategies for aging and aging-associated diseases

Aging is a complex biological process characterized by progressive functional decline, driving the incidence of age-related diseases such as neurodegeneration, metabolic disorders, and cardiovascular diseases. Therapeutic strategies targeting aging hallmarks can delay aging and mitigate disease risk. Emerging interventions focus on modulating core aging mechanisms, including cellular senescence(definition), metabolic dysfunction, epigenetic alterations, and mitochondrial impairment, etc. Recent advances have focused on three strategies: senolytics(definition) (eliminating senescent cells, e.g., dasatinib + quercetin), senomorphics (inhibiting the senescence-associated secretory phenotype, e.g., mTOR(definition)-inhibiting drug studied for extending healthspan and lifespan." style="text-decoration:underline dotted; text-underline-offset:2px; cursor:help;">rapamycin(definition)), and senoreversion (rejuvenating senescent cells via epigenetic reprogramming). Additionally, metabolic interventions such as caloric restriction(definition) mimetics (e.g., spermidine, α-ketoglutarate, ergothioneine) enhance mitochondrial function, activate autophagy(definition), and reprogram energy metabolism, demonstrating lifespan extension and healthspan(definition) improvement in preclinical models. Collectively, these approaches hold promise for delaying aging and alleviating age-related pathologies, facilitating the transition to precision longevity medicine. Concurrently, artificial intelligence (AI) accelerates discovery by integrating multiomics data, predicting candidate compounds, identifying biomarkers, and enabling personalized interventions. Despite advancements, challenges remain in target specificity, off-target effects, and clinical translation. The convergence of AI, multitarget strategies, and precision medicine signals a transformative era in extending healthspan and combating aging-associated diseases. This review systematically summarizes current breakthroughs, clinical landscapes, and future directions in aging therapeutics, underscoring interdisciplinary strategies to redefine healthy aging.